Showing posts with label naval blockade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label naval blockade. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Jeffrey Sachs: Trump's Naval Blockade of the Strait of Hormuz
China Calls Trump’s Hormuz Blockade ‘Dangerous and Irresponsible’
THE TELEGRAPH: China condemned the US naval blockade of Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible” after Donald Trump threatened to sink any boats that defy it.
The blockade came into force on Monday after peace talks between Washington and Tehran collapsed in Pakistan, although a fragile ceasefire still holds.
“The US increased military deployments and took a targeted blockade action, which will only exacerbate tensions and undermine the already fragile ceasefire agreement and further jeopardise safety of passage through the strait,” Guo Jiakun, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters.
“This is dangerous and irresponsible behaviour,” he added. » | Iona Cleave. Chanel Zagon. Kelly-Anne Taylor | Tuesday, April 14, 2026
The blockade came into force on Monday after peace talks between Washington and Tehran collapsed in Pakistan, although a fragile ceasefire still holds.
“The US increased military deployments and took a targeted blockade action, which will only exacerbate tensions and undermine the already fragile ceasefire agreement and further jeopardise safety of passage through the strait,” Guo Jiakun, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, told reporters.
“This is dangerous and irresponsible behaviour,” he added. » | Iona Cleave. Chanel Zagon. Kelly-Anne Taylor | Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Monday, April 13, 2026
Trump Says Iranian Ships Will Be ‘Eliminated’ as US Naval Blockade Begins
AL JAZEERA: Iran describes the siege against its ports as the US president’s ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy.
Iran has suggested that the United States’ blockade on Iranian ports will only hurt the interntional economy after President Donald Trump ordered a naval siege against the country.
“Can an illegal ‘war of choice’ be won through a ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy?!” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday. “Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?!”
Trump had warned Iranian military ships from approaching the blockade zone.
“Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated – 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, ‘fast attack ships,’ because we did not consider them much of a threat,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED.”
The blockade, which Trump announced on Sunday after US and Iranian negotiators failed to reach a deal after a round of talks in Pakistan, came into effect on Monday at 10am in Washington, DC (14:00 GMT). » | Al Jazeera Staff | Monday, April 13, 2026
Iran has suggested that the United States’ blockade on Iranian ports will only hurt the interntional economy after President Donald Trump ordered a naval siege against the country.
“Can an illegal ‘war of choice’ be won through a ‘revenge of choice’ against the global economy?!” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday. “Is it ever worthwhile to cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face?!”
Trump had warned Iranian military ships from approaching the blockade zone.
“Iran’s Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated – 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, ‘fast attack ships,’ because we did not consider them much of a threat,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED.”
The blockade, which Trump announced on Sunday after US and Iranian negotiators failed to reach a deal after a round of talks in Pakistan, came into effect on Monday at 10am in Washington, DC (14:00 GMT). » | Al Jazeera Staff | Monday, April 13, 2026
Trump’s ‘Always’ Been Unhinged — Iran War Chaos Fuels Removal Calls | Michael Weiss
Britain Will Not Join U.S. Blockade of Strait of Hormuz, Starmer Says
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the U.K.’s diplomatic efforts are directed at keeping the vital waterway “open, not shut.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain was blunt on Monday morning. His country is “not supporting” President Trump’s threatened military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran broke down over the weekend.
The prime minister told the BBC in a radio interview that he was focused on “bringing countries together to keep the straits open, not shut,” adding that “it is, in my view, vital that we get the strait open and fully open.”
But Mr. Starmer refused to blame Mr. Trump personally for rising energy costs in Britain, saying that it was Iran that had driven up the price of oil by making the strait too dangerous for cargo ships to travel through.
After the host of the radio show pointed out repeatedly that Iran’s actions were in response to Mr. Trump’s decision to launch the war in the first place, Mr. Starmer finally said, simply: “I mean, I’m not, look, I’m not going to get involved in that.”
The interview put on display the longstanding challenge for Mr. Starmer in dealing with Mr. Trump and his chaotic foreign policy.
On the one hand, Mr. Starmer’s refusal to join the American and Israeli-led war in Iran has triggered Mr. Trump’s ire. The prime minister has said he will not give in to “pressure” from the president to drag Britain into another conflict in the Middle East.
The decision to stand up to Mr. Trump appears to be popular in Britain, where Mr. Starmer’s low poll ratings have picked up slightly. » | Michael D. Shear | Reporting from London | Monday, April 13, 2026
Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain was blunt on Monday morning. His country is “not supporting” President Trump’s threatened military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran broke down over the weekend.
The prime minister told the BBC in a radio interview that he was focused on “bringing countries together to keep the straits open, not shut,” adding that “it is, in my view, vital that we get the strait open and fully open.”
But Mr. Starmer refused to blame Mr. Trump personally for rising energy costs in Britain, saying that it was Iran that had driven up the price of oil by making the strait too dangerous for cargo ships to travel through.
After the host of the radio show pointed out repeatedly that Iran’s actions were in response to Mr. Trump’s decision to launch the war in the first place, Mr. Starmer finally said, simply: “I mean, I’m not, look, I’m not going to get involved in that.”
The interview put on display the longstanding challenge for Mr. Starmer in dealing with Mr. Trump and his chaotic foreign policy.
On the one hand, Mr. Starmer’s refusal to join the American and Israeli-led war in Iran has triggered Mr. Trump’s ire. The prime minister has said he will not give in to “pressure” from the president to drag Britain into another conflict in the Middle East.
The decision to stand up to Mr. Trump appears to be popular in Britain, where Mr. Starmer’s low poll ratings have picked up slightly. » | Michael D. Shear | Reporting from London | Monday, April 13, 2026
Trump Imposes US Blockade on Strait of Hormuz After Failed Peace Talks with Iran | BBC News
Donald Trump has said the US will blockade the strait of Hormuz, in order to take control of the key shipping lane from Iran, after the failure of peace negotiations between the two countries in Pakistan.
US Central Command announced the operation would begin on Monday morning, stating: “Centcom forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10am ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation. The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas”.
The head of Iran’s navy called the US blockade threat “ridiculous and funny”, according to state TV.
President Trump also repeated earlier threats to bomb Iran’s power plants, water treatment facilities and bridges, if Tehran does not agree to give up its nuclear weapons programme.
It follows the collapse of high-level peace talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan. The US vice president JD Vance, who led the US team, said Iran had refused to agree that it could never develop nuclear weapons.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood and Lyse Doucet.
US Central Command announced the operation would begin on Monday morning, stating: “Centcom forces will begin implementing a blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on April 13 at 10am ET, in accordance with the President’s proclamation. The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas”.
The head of Iran’s navy called the US blockade threat “ridiculous and funny”, according to state TV.
President Trump also repeated earlier threats to bomb Iran’s power plants, water treatment facilities and bridges, if Tehran does not agree to give up its nuclear weapons programme.
It follows the collapse of high-level peace talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan. The US vice president JD Vance, who led the US team, said Iran had refused to agree that it could never develop nuclear weapons.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood and Lyse Doucet.
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Trump Says U.S. Will ‘Blockade’ Strait of Hormuz After Peace Talks Fail
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Vice President JD Vance said Sunday that marathon talks between the United States and Iran had failed to immediately produce a deal to fully reopen the strait and end the war. Iran’s top negotiator had suggested further talks were possible.
President Trump said Sunday that the United States will enforce a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stepping up pressure on Iran after marathon peace talks between top Iranian and American leaders in Pakistan ended without a breakthrough.
The announcement by Mr. Trump plunged the already brittle truce into further uncertainty. Vice President JD Vance and the chief Iranian negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, met in Pakistan over the weekend, but did not reach a deal to fully reopen the strait and end the war. A naval blockade could be considered an act of war by Iran.
“Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!” Mr. Trump wrote in one of two lengthy social media posts on the talks.
Mr. Trump had conditioned the two-week cease-fire on Iran ending its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil and gas in the Persian Gulf. Iran’s own blockade of the strait sent global oil prices soaring by more than 50 percent during the monthlong conflict, which began in late February.
In practice, however, only a few ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz since the cease-fire came into effect last Tuesday. U.S. officials blame Iran, which they say has sought to impose tolls on ships passing through the waterway. Mr. Trump said the U.S. Navy would “seek and interdict” any vessel that paid the fee to Iran.
Iran’s leaders have given no indication that they intend to relax their control of the waterway, which they view as a crucial bargaining chip. In a defiant post on social media earlier on Sunday, Ali Akbar Velayati, a member of Iran’s negotiating team, said “the key” to the Strait of Hormuz “is firmly in our hands.” Iran War Live Updates » | Tyler Pager, Aaron Boxerman and Isabel Kershner | Tyler Pager reported from Islamabad, Pakistan. | Sunday, April 12, 2026
President Trump said Sunday that the United States will enforce a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, stepping up pressure on Iran after marathon peace talks between top Iranian and American leaders in Pakistan ended without a breakthrough.
The announcement by Mr. Trump plunged the already brittle truce into further uncertainty. Vice President JD Vance and the chief Iranian negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, met in Pakistan over the weekend, but did not reach a deal to fully reopen the strait and end the war. A naval blockade could be considered an act of war by Iran.
“Any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!” Mr. Trump wrote in one of two lengthy social media posts on the talks.
Mr. Trump had conditioned the two-week cease-fire on Iran ending its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil and gas in the Persian Gulf. Iran’s own blockade of the strait sent global oil prices soaring by more than 50 percent during the monthlong conflict, which began in late February.
In practice, however, only a few ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz since the cease-fire came into effect last Tuesday. U.S. officials blame Iran, which they say has sought to impose tolls on ships passing through the waterway. Mr. Trump said the U.S. Navy would “seek and interdict” any vessel that paid the fee to Iran.
Iran’s leaders have given no indication that they intend to relax their control of the waterway, which they view as a crucial bargaining chip. In a defiant post on social media earlier on Sunday, Ali Akbar Velayati, a member of Iran’s negotiating team, said “the key” to the Strait of Hormuz “is firmly in our hands.” Iran War Live Updates » | Tyler Pager, Aaron Boxerman and Isabel Kershner | Tyler Pager reported from Islamabad, Pakistan. | Sunday, April 12, 2026
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